Electro-mechanical surgical device

Abstract

An electro-mechanical surgical device includes: a housing; an elongated shaft extending from the housing, a distal end of the elongated shaft being detachably coupleable to a surgical instrument; at least two axially rotatable drive shafts disposed within the elongated shaft, a distal end of each of the drive shafts being configured to couple with the surgical instrument; a steering cable arrangement, the steering cable arrangement being configured to steer the distal end of the elongated shaft; and a motor system disposed within the housing, the motor system being configured to drive the drive shafts and the steering cable arrangement. A control system may be provided for controlling the motor system. A remote control unit may also be provided for controlling the motor system via the control system. Sensors, such as optical or Hall-effect devices, may be provided for determining the position of the elements of the surgical instrument based on the detected rotation of the drive shafts. A memory unit stores a plurality of operating programs or algorithms, each corresponding to a type of surgical instrument attachable to the electro-mechanical surgical device. The control system reads or selects from the plurality of operating programs or algorithms, the operating program or algorithm corresponding to the type of surgical instrument attached to the electro-mechanical surgical device.

1. An electro-mechanical surgical device, comprising:
 an elongated shaft, a distal end of the elongated shaft configured to detachably couple with a surgical instrument;  
 at least one axially rotatable drive shaft disposed within the elongated shaft configured to drive the surgical instrument;  
 a motor system configured to drive the at least one axially rotatable shaft;  
 a control system configured to control the motor system; and  
 a remote control unit configured to communicate with the control system and control the motor system via the control system.  
 
     
     
       2. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the remote control unit includes at least one of a wireless remote control unit and a wired remote control unit. 
     
     
       3. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 2 , wherein the wireless remote control unit is configured to communicate with the control system via one of a wireless electro-magnetic communications link and a wireless optical communications link. 
     
     
       4. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the remote control unit includes a first switch, an operation of the first switch controlling the motor system. 
     
     
       5. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a steering arrangement configured to steer the distal end of the elongated shaft, the motor system being configured to drive the steering arrangement, the remote control unit including a second switch, an operation of the second switch controlling the motor system to drive the steering arrangement. 
     
     
       6. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control system includes a first memory unit. 
     
     
       7. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 6 , wherein the first memory unit includes at least one of a random-access memory and a read-only memory. 
     
     
       8. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 6 , wherein the first memory unit is configured to store a plurality of operating programs, each of the operating programs corresponding to a respective type of surgical instrument attachable to the distal end of the elongated shaft. 
     
     
       9. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to identify the type of the surgical instrument attached to the distal end of the elongated shaft, the control system being configured to at least one of read and select the operating program from the first memory unit corresponding to the identified type of the attached surgical attachment. 
     
     
       10. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to control the motor system in accordance with the operating program read or selected by the control system. 
     
     
       11. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to identify the type of the attached surgical instrument in accordance with a data read from a second memory unit disposed within the attached surgical instrument. 
     
     
       12. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 11 , further comprising a data cable disposed within the elongated shaft, the data cable being logically and electrically coupled to the control system and being logically and electrically coupleable to the second memory unit. 
     
     
       13. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the remote control unit is configured to transmit an identifying data to the control system. 
     
     
       14. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 13 , wherein the control system is configured to be operable only by a remote control unit in accordance with the identifying data transmitted to the control system. 
     
     
       15. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to claims  1 , further comprising a display device configured to display at least one message in accordance with at least one of an operation and a status of the electro-mechanical surgical device. 
     
     
       16. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one message is displayable in a selected one of a plurality of languages. 
     
     
       17. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 16 , further comprising a switch device configured to select the one of the plurality of languages. 
     
     
       18. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 17 , wherein the switch device includes a DIP switch. 
     
     
       19. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least drive shafts is contained within a respective sheath. 
     
     
       20. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 5 , wherein the steering arrangement includes a steering cable arrangement. 
     
     
       21. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 20 , wherein each steering cable of the steering cable arrangement is contained within a respective sheath. 
     
     
       22. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 8 , further comprising a display device configured to display at least one message in accordance with at least one of the operating programs. 
     
     
       23. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one indicator device configured to provide an indication of at least one of an operation and a status of the electro-mechanical surgical device. 
     
     
       24. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the at least one indicator devices is a visual indicator device. 
     
     
       25. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the at least one indicator devices is an audio indicator device. 
     
     
       26. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongated shaft is flexible. 
     
     
       27. An electro-mechanical surgical device, comprising:
 a flexible elongated shaft, a distal end of the elongated shaft configured to couple with a surgical instrument;  
 at least one axially rotatable drive shaft disposed within the elongated shaft;  
 a motor system configured to drive the at least one axially rotatable shaft;  
 a control system configured to control the motor system; and  
 a remote control unit configured to communicate with the control system and control the motor system via the control system.  
 
     
     
       28. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 27 , wherein the elongated shaft is configured to detachably couple with the surgical instrument. 
     
     
       29. The electro-mechanical surgical device according to  claim 27 , wherein the drive shaft is configured to drive the surgical instrument.